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<\/a><\/p>\nPublished On 5 Sep 20265 Sep 2026<\/p>\n
United States investigators have subjected about 50 members of the US military\u2019s Joint Staff to lie detector tests following a series of unauthorised media leaks, according to a report by The New York Times (NYT).<\/p>\n
The inquiry focused on whether civilian and military personnel leaked classified details to reporters, particularly concerning dwindling US ammunition reserves<\/a>, the newspaper reported on Friday.<\/p>\n Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list<\/p>\n The polygraph examinations took place last month after news outlets published several reports highlighting severe drops in key weapons supplies, including long-range missiles and Patriot air defence interceptors. US officials had pushed back<\/a> on these reports, insisting their weapons stockpiles were more than sufficient.<\/p>\n In a statement to the NYT, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell declined to address internal administrative or investigative actions directly, but emphasised that the department takes leaks of national security information \u201cextremely seriously and investigates accordingly\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cSecuring classified information is critical to ensuring the security of the United States and of our troops deployed around the world,\u201d Parnell added.<\/p>\n The Joint Staff, which consists of between 1,500 and 2,000 military and civilian staff, plays a key role in coordinating operational strategy, policy and war planning with combat commands globally.<\/p>\n Unprecedented move<\/p>\n Sources familiar with the inquiry told the NYT that the aggressive push was designed not only to identify the individuals behind the disclosures, but also to deter potential future leakers.<\/p>\n Legal and military experts say the scale of the investigation is unprecedented, as the top ranks of the US armed forces have never undergone widespread polygraph testing in modern history.<\/p>\n The move follows widespread reporting on how active military operations involving Iran have severely strained US weapon reserves, causing internal debates over the broader direction of the conflict.<\/p>\n US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed officials to crack down on unauthorised disclosures. In addition to calling for strict enforcement, Trump has publicly branded critical media coverage regarding munition shortages and the administration\u2019s handling of the conflict in Iran as \u201ctreasonous<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n The persistent leaks have deepened an atmosphere of deep distrust inside the Pentagon, which current and former officials attribute to the management style of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth<\/a>.<\/p>\n Operating alongside a tight circle of close aides, Hegseth has ousted or blocked the promotions of at least 80 generals, admirals and senior officials during his tenure, the report said.<\/p>\n The Pentagon has launched multiple leak probes in response to media coverage of Hegseth\u2019s leadership, even as he faced criticism<\/a> for sharing sensitive operational details in a Signal group chat.<\/p>\n The internal tensions escalated further last month when the Defence Department fired the top editor and publisher of Stars and Stripes,<\/a> an independent, government-funded military news publication.<\/p>\n